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Tracing the evolution of HARLEM WEEK, now thirty four years old (1974), is very simple— it began as HARLEM DAY, a one-day tribute that was so astonishingly and unexpectedly successful that more days were needed to showcase the community’s rich economic, political and cultural history, to say nothing of the current, ever increasing artistic talent in Harlem. Above all, HARLEM DAY—in its unique way—was a day of encouragement and fellowship for New Yorkers in general and Harlemites in particular, many of whom had struggled for some years to see a positive future for Urban America.
Like many great ventures, it took only a small group of concerned residents to come together to bring about change. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. once asked, when discussing the issue of self-determination and spiritual rejuvenation: “What’s in your hand?” One of the most potent weapons in the hands of these aroused residents was their understanding of the power of culture to bring about change. There was nothing new about this approach; the local populace and their comrades during the Harlem Renaissance discovered the utility of communications, unity and the arts in their fight against racism and discrimination. The Harlem partisans of the seventies who created HARLEM WEEK were just as perspicacious, turning instinctively to the cultural strength that was seeping from every nook and cranny, from Sugar Hill to East Harlem. Their mission was to put Harlem back at the forefront of urban, cultural, ethnic, educational, political, recreational and religious leadership, and as you can see from the previous years of bounty, HARLEM WEEK has carved out a remarkable niche in the nation’s major listings of annual happenings.
Each year HARLEM WEEK produces new activities highlighting another of the many positive and relevant aspects of the African-American, Latino, Caribbean-American, and European-American cultures of Harlem. In fact, in the same way that Black History Month is celebrated for more than four weeks, HARLEM WEEK is more than a week, with many key events celebrated quite joyously throughout all of August and beyond. And thanks to the unforgettable appearance of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe at HARLEM WEEK, and the appearance of Nelson Mandela soon after his historic election to the Presidency of South Africa, HARLEM WEEK has gone on to acquire international cachet.
Over the course of 34 years, HARLEM WEEK has become one of America’s largest cultural celebrations. Each year, we attract millions of individuals to Harlem, the world’s most famous neighborhood to share our traditions, new trends, and that incomparable joie de vivre, which is nothing more than Harlem style. |
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